CAS rejected the appeals of Russian clubs against the decision of FIFA, which allowed legionnaires to suspend contracts

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed appeals by Russian clubs against the International Football Federation (FIFA) decision to allow foreign players and coaches to suspend contracts with Russian and Ukrainian clubs due to the situation in Ukraine.

The Russian clubs Zenit, Dynamo, CSKA, Lokomotiv, Sochi, Krasnodar, Rostov and Rubin, as well as the Ukrainian Shakhtar, filed an appeal with CAS against the FIFA decision, demanding the return of foreign players and monetary compensation.

— CAS arbitration proceedings were conducted by two different commissions. Both commissions dismissed the appeals and affirmed the contested decision. The Commissions stressed that the impugned decision was the consequence of a legitimate aim in the light of FIFA’s statutes and that the measures taken remained within the scope of the powers conferred on FIFA by Swiss law. Reasoned decisions are being finalized and will be brought to the attention of the parties in the near future, the CAS said in a statement.

According to the FIFA decision of June 21, 2022, legionnaires and foreign coaches will be able to suspend contracts with Russian and Ukrainian clubs until June 30, 2023.